Researcher as bricoleuse rather than bricoleur: A feminizing corrective research note

Research output: Non-textual formWeb publication/site

Electronic versions

  • Sara Wheeler (Photographer)
The methodologically pluralistic work of qualitative researchers is increasingly being described as bricolage, with the researchers themselves being referred to as bricoleur(s). However bricoleur, borrowed as it is from French, is a gendered term and is the masculine form of the noun. Thus female researchers engaged in the act of bricolage ought to describe themselves as bricoleuse(s). This has, however, been largely overlooked until now, with textbooks describing bricoleur in gender-neutral terms and published peer-reviewed articles in which bricoleuse(s) describe themselves during the course of their research as bricoleur(s) and also refer to female or mixed individuals within their research as bricoleur(s). The term bricoleuse(s) is largely absent in the academic literature. This research note has therefore been prepared as a corrective to highlight the gendered nature of these French terms and to establish the feminine noun for future use in the field of qualitative research and beyond.
Original languageEnglish
Medium of outputOnline
Publication statusPublished - 16 Jul 2015
View graph of relations